www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Food - Recipes Spinach Soup

Here is an excellent Lenten dish for the feast of Patrick, the Illuminator of Ireland.

The sour cream can be omitted (but, I admit, it does improve the flavor) and the usual substitution may be made for oil...otherwise a perfect fasting dish in bright Kelly green:

SPINACH SOUP

Makes 6 x 1 cup servings
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 15 minutes

1 Tbsp oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
4 cups water
1 lb potatoes peeled and diced, or 2 cans diced potatoes (2 cups)
8 oz fresh spinach
1/2 tsp ground black pepper or to taste
1/4 tsp salt or to taste
1/3 tsp ground nutmeg or to taste.

1 tsp sour cream add to each serving if desired.

In a large saucepan heat oil. Add onions and cook until softened, add water and potatoes, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft.
Remove tough stems from spinach. Add spinach leaves to soup mixture and heat until wilted, about 1 minute. Puree soup in blender or food processor. Return to saucepan, add salt, pepper, and nutmeg and reheat if needed. Ladle into bowls--can be served with a teaspoon of sour cream per bowl if desired.

Sounds very good and quite easy! I am definitely going to try it. I am guessing that the potato gives the soup a nice thickness.

Perhaps we can even substitute a can of vegetable broth for the water to give it a little more flavor.

For soups and vegetable dishes where you usually use a topping of something dairy, Italians and Greeks will often drizzle some really good fruity extra virgin olive oil on the top. It gives a vegetable or legume dish and/or soup the little extra flavor it needs when dairy isn't an option. It is also really healthy ofcourse.

We had the soup warm, but I just sampled the now a-bit-below-room temperature leftover in the refrigerator--it is almost better served cool or at room tempertature....a very welcome idea since southern Pennsylvania is seeing daytime highs in the 70's more typical for late April or May than midMarch.

Bless, Pastor Thomas,

That sounds delicious! As my youngest and I are great fans of spinach in myriad forms, I suspect it's going to get a try-out really soon.

Many years,

Neil

Pastor Thomas kind of like cold potato soup